The Ending That Never Was
by Ginevra1988
Summary: Instead of killing Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker kills Palpatine instead. How will that affect the future of the galaxy and the Skywalker family? AxP, and the fic will eventually include HxL, LxM, and OxOC maybe . No flames, but please review! T for future
1. The Death of Palpatine

**Author's Note:** This is my first fan fiction, but I've read so many that I feel like an expert. This is just one of those ideas that has been floating around in the back of my head for awhile. If you like it, please tell me, or I may not be motivated to continue with the story. If you don't like it, tell me, and I won't continue with the story if enough of you hate it. Every author needs you feedback. By the way, this story will contain ample amounts of fluff. If you don't like fluff, don't even bother starting to read this story. Thank you. **Disclaimer: By the way, I in no way own anything you may recognize. I mean, if I was George Lucas, I certainly wouldn't be in college studying History and Spanish. I would be travelling around the world, enjoying the fruits of my success.**

**_Anakin_** shut down his lightsaber, staring at the body at his feet. He had just killed Chancellor Palpatine, otherwise known as the Sith lord Darth Siddious. He was still wrestling with his conscience over what he had just done.

Palpatine was his friend, but Padmé was his wife and the mother of his children and Obi-Wan was his best friend, brother, and father. In that moment of indecision about Padmé's future, he had realized that the greatest threat to her future and the future of their child was the continuation of the war, which would undoubtedly end with the death of Palpatine.

He had decided. Now, he had to live with his choice.

"You have done well, Anakin," Master Windu said, breaking the young Jedi knight out of his reverie. "The council will wish to speak with you tomorrow, no doubt, but thanks to you, the war is over. Now we can begin to rebuild. I suggest you return to the temple while we take care of this mess."

"Yes, master," Anakin replied, without the fight one might have expected from the impulsive young man. His response confused Master Windu, but he brushed it off as residual guilt over what he had done, and decided to leave Anakin alone until the council reconvened the next day.


	2. Coming to Terms

**Disclaimer: Anything even remotely recognizable is not mine. It belongs to George Lucas. Please don't keep harping on this, I really don't own anything familiar.**

**_Padmé_** heard the door open and rushed over, worried about her husband. He hadn't been himself lately, and each time he returned from his time with Chancellor Palpatine, he seemed more unsure, worried, and overprotective of her.

"Anakin, is that you?" she queried as Anakin came into sight. She saw his expression and gasped, "What's wrong, Ani? What happened?"

He looked at her and whispered raggedly, "Just let me hold you for awhile." He came over and grabbed in a hug, both careful because of increasingly rotund belly and tightly in response to the waves of guilt pouring off of him.

As she comforted the distraught man, Padmé wondered what could have brought about this strange state of mind. Had something happened to Obi-Wan? Was the war taking a turn for the worse? However, she set her curiosity aside, and just held and comforted her husband, knowing that he would tell her whatever was upsetting him as soon as he himself came to terms with it.

A few minutes later, Anakin finally said, "Chancellor Palpatine is dead. I killed him."

"What! Anakin, whatever happened?" Padmé queried, knowing that only extreme circumstances would have forced him to do that.

Anakin looked at her and said slowly, "He was the Sith lord that we have been looking for. He was behind the Trade Federation, the Separatists, the war, all to gain more and more power for his own use. I had to choose, and I killed him in order to defend and protect the galaxy."

Padmé was shocked, but only for a moment. She had often wondered if Palpatine had ulterior motives for his increasingly more worrisome power grabs. Finding out he was the Sith lord behind everything that had been going on for the past twelve years was shocking, but not completely. There had always been something off about that man.

Looking at her husband, she knew that he was awaiting her judgement, and whatever she thought mattered more to him than what everyone else did. Knowing exactly what to say to banish his self doubts, she said, "Anakin, you did what you had to. Now you, the baby, and I, and the rest of the galaxy, can rest easily knowing that this horrible war is over. I'm so proud of you, Ani." Once more, she enveloped him in her warm embrace and gave him all the acceptance that he needed.

"Thank you, Padmé," his voice was muffled in her shoulder. Suddenly, the both of them knew that whatever happened, they and their family would be alright.

**_Obi-Wan_** and his clone troopers were heading back to Coruscant when the call came in. Curious, as to what Master Windu had to tell him, he took the call back in his quarters on his ship.

"Master Windu, this is unexpected. Is something wrong?" Obi-Wan asked of the man who had a strange expression on his face that he had never seen before.

"Nothing is wrong, Master Kenobi. In fact, I have great news. Anakin has killed the Sith lord controlling this awful war… it is over!"

It was then that Obi-Wan recognized the expression on Mace's face. It was relief and happiness, emotions that, Obi-Wan at least thought, were believed to be completely unknown to the stern Jedi master.

Obi-Wan cracked his first smile in awhile, "That is indeed wonderful news. How did you find the Sith lord?"

Master Windu's face fell slightly as he replied, "It turned out that the Sith behind everything was Chancellor Palpatine. He revealed himself to Anakin in an attempt to turn young Skywalker to his side."

Obi-Wan was shocked for all of a few moments. He had felt for a long time that there was something not quite right with the Chancellor. However, his thoughts immediately turned to Anakin, to whom the chancellor had become a sort of guide and father over the years since he had first met Palpatine after the battle of Naboo. "How is Anakin?"

"He has a lot of issues to deal with, and I told him that his presence will be required before the Jedi council tomorrow. I know this will be a lot for him to overcome, so I imagine that the council will require him to leave the order for awhile to collect himself"

Obi-Wan nodded, "I believe you are right. I will most likely be back on Coruscant tomorrow. I might stop in to see Anakin before the council meeting, if that is alright."

"Of course, Master Kenobi. However, I have no clue where to find him as he has not returned to his quarters at the temple as of yet."

However, Obi-Wan had a pretty good idea where Anakin was at that moment, but refrained from saying anything to Master Windu, simply nodding in reply. He had been somewhat suspicious of the friendship between his former Padawan and Padmé for some time now, believing them to hold stronger feelings than friendship for one another. But first, he needed to confront them without the knowledge of the council, so as not to make rash judgments on Anakin. "Thank you for the news Master Windu. I will see you on Coruscant in approximately twelve standard hours."

"Bye, Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan collapsed on his bed, extremely relieved that the war was finally over. He took several minutes to relish in the news by himself before going to inform his clone troopers of the exciting news.


	3. Wonderful News

Author's Note: Obi-Wan will return in the next chapter, and will, of course, be confronting Anakin. I promise you, this story is just going to be absolute fluff, but every story needs a little angst or it just makes you want to barf all over the place. **Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing you recognize as belonging to the Start Wars franchise (although, oftentimes, I wish I did). What do I have to do to get through to you people!**

**_Anakin _**awoke the next morning beside his wife feeling rested and relaxed. He wondered at his unusual state of mind before he realized with great pleasure what had been missing from his dreams the night before. He had not had a single vision of Padmé dying in childbirth. Instead, he remembered visions of a happy and fulfilled life by her side with their twin children.

_Wait a minute, twins?_ He thought. Reaching out with the Force, he did what he had been avoiding doing in order to avoid drawing attention to Padmé's childbearing state: he probed for his child's energy signature. Sure enough there were two of them, one distinctly female, and the other distinctly male. Ecstatic and feeling much more free and relaxed than he had felt since the start of this war, he reached over and began to shake his wife awake.

"Padmé? It's time to wake up."

She woke up quickly, alert in the way that only a politician accustomed to being woken at odd hours of the day or night could be. "Anakin? What is it?"

He grinned at her and said, "I have some wonderful news for you."

In the meantime, Padmé had looked at the chrono on the bedside table and said, "You slept through the night? No more nightmares?" That enough was good news for her, it meant that Anakin had conquered whatever demons had been disturbing his sleep.

His grin widened, "Yes, but that's not the greatest news I have for you."

Barely keeping the self-control that she was famous for, Padmé replied, "What could possibly be more exciting than the fact that you slept through the night?"

"I looked for our child through the Force and found out… we're having twins!"  
"Twins!" Padmé parroted, astonished.

"Yes, a little boy and a little girl," Anakin said, clearly pleased with this news.

"Oh Anakin, this is absolutely wonderful! I can't believe it, this is such a miracle!"

"I know Padmé. I also know this: when I go before the Jedi Council today, I will tell them the truth about us, and renounce my position in the order," Anakin stated, firm in this decision.

Padmé was shocked speechless for a moment before she said, "But you can't! I know how much being a Jedi means to you."

Anakin looked at her searchingly, and she realized that in this moment, he was the most mature and sure of himself that she had ever seen. "Being a Jedi is important to me, he said, "but I've realized something. It was only because I care about you, our children, and Obi-Wan that I was able to overcome the power of the dark side and defeat Darth Siddious. I can't be part of the Jedi order if it insists that emotional attachments lead to the dark side when it is just those attachments that saved me last night." He took her face in his hands and continued, "You and our babies are the only things I can't live without. Being a Jedi is just a job, and with the end of the war, I'm no longer needed like I was before. I want us to be a family and we can't be so long as I am a Jedi. I don't care about that anymore."

Padmé looked into Anakin's sincere blue eyes and saw the truth, sincerity, and love beaming out at her through them. "Oh, Anakin," she said, her voice full of emotion, "I love you so much."

Anakin bent his head down to kiss her, and the two of them felt that their lives were going in the most positive direction possible.


	4. Confrontation

**Author's Note:** I'm getting kind of tired of writing out Obi-Wan's name, so, very soon now, he will come to be know to everyone by his nickname, Ben. The next chapter will have more Padme, the twins, and the beginning of the council meeting. I'm looking forward to dissing the Jedi code in the next few chapters. That rule about attachment always made me so furious! Anyway, here's chapter 4! **Disclaimer: Of course, I own Star Wars, I mean, I AM George Lucas (Heavy sarcasm). For starters, I'm female, barely turned 20, and a poor college student. If I owned Star Wars, I wouldn't be worrying about going to college. I would be relaxing in the Caribbean somewhere. I live in western Maryland, and it is REALLY freezing outside!**

_**Obi-Wan**_ landed at the docking ramp outside of Padmé's formal receiving, fully expecting to find Anakin there. Surely enough, a quick Force probe of the apartment revealed both Anakin's and Padmé's energy signatures, as well as two unfamiliar ones that puzzled him for a moment, but he decided to question them later.

Anakin had been alerted to Obi-Wan's presence by the probe, and immediately became anxious. Although he knew Obi-Wan was most likely the only person to figure out where he was, he did not want his secrets to be revealed to the world until he had the chance to talk to the Jedi council.

"Obi-Wan's here. Please stay here while I talk to him," Anakin said to Padmé, who was brushing her hair sitting on the bed.

Looking around at her husband and seeing his incredibly nervous expression, she nodded her acquiescence. She only allowed her own worry to show on her face after Anakin had left the room.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin exclaimed, happiness at the sight of his former master and best friend temporarily dispelling his nervousness about the reason behind this visit. He went over and clasped Ben in a big hug, both just grateful that the other was alive and safe.

Obi-Wan looked the younger man over, both pleased and slightly bothered by the fact that Anakin was not showing any signs of the strain that he had expected to see. Pushing it to the background for the moment, he just enjoyed knowing that his former Padawan had conquered his tendency toward the dark side.

After a few moments, they broke apart and Anakin asked, "How did you know where to find me? I thought I never let on to anyone when I came here."

"No one but me would have noticed, my former Padawan. I'm the one person who knows you well enough and has spent enough time around you to be able to determine where you go. I came to see how you were doing after the events of yesterday," Obi-Wan replied, suddenly wanting to hold off for just a few more minutes on the confrontation that he knew the two of them had to have before the council meeting.

Anakin, suddenly very awkward, looked away from his master. "Padmé helped me through it. I don't know if I would be feeling this okay with what I did without her."

Obi-Wan looked at the young man standing beside him. Like a parent who had long insisted on keeping their child young forever, he abruptly noticed all the subtle changes that marked the maturity Anakin had been forced to gain in the past two years. The lines marking stress and having seen too many horrible things were prominent on his features. In that moment, Obi-Wan was forced to acknowledge the man his apprentice had become.

This revelation, however, would not stop him from taking Anakin to task for the things he had done. "I'm happy that you were able to overcome the dark side, Anakin," Obi-Wan said after a long pause, "but I'm worried about your relationship with Padmé. You do know that to get too attached means you will be ejected from the Jedi order."

Finally able to look into Obi-Wan's eyes again, Anakin replied softly, "That will not happen, for I intend to resign from the Jedi order at the council meeting this afternoon."

Shocked, it took Obi-Wan a few seconds to gather his wits after this announcement that had come from out of the blue. "Is it because of what happened with the Sith? Anakin, I know for a fact that the council will not hold anything against you and even intends to give you a long vacation to recuperate from your ordeal. You don't have to leave, I know how much being a Jedi means to you."

"It does mean an awful lot to me," Anakin replied slowly, "but I had to make my choice between being a Jedi and my family. Family, it turns out, is far more important to me."

Puzzled, Obi-Wan asked, "Family? But, Anakin, your mother has been dead for two years."

"I know. But two years ago, Padmé and I were married. I can no longer keep this hidden from the world, nor do I want to."

"You what!" Obi-Wan shouted, blindsided by Anakin's revelation. He had known the two were close and about Anakin's childhood attachment to the lovely senator, but he had never expected this. "How could you break the code in this way!"

Anakin could no longer remain calm at this attack. "Because I could not keep denying my heart what it wanted! I love her! She is the most important thing in the universe to me! It is wrong for the code to encourage detachment to emotion!"

Obi-Wan, who could not stand such an attack against the Jedi code, shouted, "How can you besmirch the code like that! It encourages detachment so that a Jedi can avoid temptation from the dark side!"

"It doesn't work!" Anakin spat out. "It is only because of my feelings for Padmé, my mother, you, and all the other great people in my life that I was able to overcome Palpatine. Without those emotions, I have no idea what would have happened!"

Obi-Wan was about to reply, when a memory came back to him from his own time as a Padawan. He had once left the Jedi order to help fight a kid civil war on one of the planets he and Qui-Gon had been sent to. He had followed his feelings in the situation. And even though he returned to the Jedi after a time, he never regretted letting go of all the shields holding back his emotions. He had always felt as if he had made the correct decision.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said calmly, dismantling Anakin's remaining anger over the issue, "you must do what you feel is right. I believe I understand, at least partly your reasoning. I will support you in this decision and will back you up with the council."

Anakin smiled. "Thank you," he said and again hugged his mentor and best friend.


	5. ObiWan Receives Good News

**Author's Note:** More fluff for you fluff lovers out there. Again, if you don't like fluff, I suggest you find another story to occupy your time with. I'm havin one of those weeks that I fell exhausted during the day, but become wide awake around 11:00 at night. I think I'm turning into some kind of vampire. Anyway, I can't concentrate on the multitude of things I have to do this week, so expect a lot of updates for awhile. I can assure you, this will not be constant, because I am writing this as I go. Anyway, the next chapter is going to be Anakin's confrontation with the Jedi council. I've been looking forward to writing it because I will finally get to express several of my beefs with the old Jedi order. I expect it will be done soon, but I may take some more time on it than previous chapters, so please be patient with me. I'm working as fast as I can. **Disclaimer: If you don't know this already, I will tell you: I do NOT own anything that you recognize even in the most remote capacity. Would that I did, but I don't, so I just have to come up with my own idea to revolutitionize either film or books or both. I doubt I will ever match the almighty Lucas or J.K., but, hey, a girl can dream can't she?**

_**Once**_ again in harmony with each other (at least as much as they ever are), Anakin and Obi-Wan broke their hug and gave similar grins.

"Your support means a lot to us, master," Anakin said, leading Obi-Wan to one of the couches in the room.

"Please, Anakin. You have come into your own. I am no longer your master, but I am your friend and brother," Obi-Wan said. "We are equals now, for in some ways, you are now the master, my friend."

Anakin smiled. "Well, since everything is settled between us, I'll go get Padmé." Anakin quickly hurried off to find his wife.

Obi-Wan gazed after Anakin, a pensieve smile on his face. He was glad that Anakin was able to find his happiness with Padmé. He also had to concede that Anakin may be right about the Jedi code. He had no doubt that if Anakin had failed to kill Palpatine, it would have been easy to engender ill will towards the Jedi because of their emotional aloofness and their perceived arrogance and superiority. Maybe it was time for a change.

As Anakin returned with his wife, Obi-Wan again felt those two strange energy signatures. Closer this time, and very strong in the Force. Who could these two beings be? However, Obi-Wan again decided to concentrate on the here and now, because it was obvious, even from his quick probes that the two beings were benign.

At this moment, Anakin and Padmé walked into the room. "Obi-Wan, it's so nice to see you, Padmé said as she came forward to hug her old friend.

"You are radiant as always," Obi'Wan replied, happily receiving her embrace. It was at that moment that he felt the gentle bump beneath Padmé's clothes. Curious, he probed with the Force and encountered the source of the two strong Force presences he had been feeling since he had arrived at the apartment.

Pulling back suddenly, Obi-Wan looked from Padmé to Anakin in shocked surprise. Anakin and Padmé shared a blissful, knowing smile before Padmé said, "I guess Anakin forgot to mention that I am expecting before he brought me out to see you."

Shaken out of his stupor, Obi-Wan smiled at her. "Congratulations," he said. "I'm so pleased for the both of you." To Anakin, he remarked playfully, "I guess that this has a lot to do with your desire to leave the Jedi order."

Coming over and pulling his wife back into his arms, he replied, "It is part of it. I want to be there for my family. If I can't do that as part of the Jedi order, I will find another place that allows me to be with my wife and children as much as possible."

Finally, completely understanding Anakin's position on the order and the code, Obi-Wan said, "You have definitely come a long way from the boy I met on Tatooine all those years ago. I think it is your unique perspective on the order and the galaxy that could lead to much better times in the future."

_**Obi-Wan**_, Anakin, and Padmé sat around talking the hours leading up to Anakin's meeting with the Jedi council. When the time came, Obi-Wan took Anakin to the Jedi temple in the speeder in which he had arrived.

Anakin was left to wait in the council antechamber. "Do not worry, Anakin," Obi-Wan said before walking in to take his place on the council. "I am here for you all will be well."

Anakin simply smiled in reply, completely at peace with the path that he had chosen. He patiently waited for the council to receive him, pondering upon what he might say to the assorted Jedi masters within.

Just then, the door opened and Master Windu bid Anakin to enter. Taking a deep breath, Anaking walked into the council chamber, head held high, knowing that he was doing exactly what he had to do.


	6. The Jedi Council Hearing

**Author's Note:** This is what happens between Anakin and the Jedi council. The next chapter will be the council's reaction via Obi-Wan's perspective. If any of you disagree with what I way about emotional attachments being the saving grace for people turned to the dark side remember this: Darth Vader returned to the light side because of his attachment to Luke; Luke turned from the dark side because of his family and Mara Jade; Kyp Durron turned from the dark side because of his attachment to Han Solo; Jaina turned from the dark side because of her attachment to Jag Fel; and so on. **Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything remotely recognizable in the following chapter or hell, the whole story. Anything you think you recognize is owned by the man, George Lucas!**

_**Anakin** walked to the middle of the council chamber and gave all the masters (including the ones attending via holo) a slight bow. Then, he turned his attention to Master Windu._

"Master Windu, before this council says anything, I would like to resign from the Jedi Order," Anakin said just as Master Windu began to open his mouth to speak.

Shocked silence met this surprise declaration. Many knew of Anakin's powerful sense of duty to the Jedi order, and were unable to comprehend his words for a few minutes. Master Yoda (on his way back from Kashyyk), was the one to break the silence.

"Worried are you about this council's opinion of your actions?" Yoda asked in a confused matter. He was the most confused of them all, because he had watched young Skywalker's dedication increase in the two years since his mother's death and the start of the war.

"No, masters."

"Well then, what reason to resign have you?"

"I can no longer live a lie," Anakin stated. "I have broken the Jedi code, and I find I no longer stand by passively, pretending to agree to certain parts of the code which I feel are wrong."

Ki-Adi-Mundi was the next to respond. "In what ways have you broken the Jedi code?"

Anakin turned his attention to that master, "I have violated the rule against Jedi attachment. Two years ago, I wed Senator Padmé Amidala in a private ceremony on Naboo."

Several of the masters (with the exception of Obi-Wan, of course) gasped out loud at this unprecedented statement. After a few moments, when nobody bothered respond, Anakin continued. "We have been meeting in secret, as much as time would allow us during this war. Upon my recent return home, I learned that my wife had conceived a child. I can no longer keep this a secret and pretend that I agree with the Jedi order any longer. That is all I have to say masters. Good day."

If Anakin's previous statement had shocked the council, this one sent their disbelieving minds into overload. Just as Anakin reached the door, however, Master Windu spoke up. "Why have you betrayed the Jedi code in this fantastic manner?"

Anakin paused just as his hand pressed upon the door. He turned around to face Master Windu, "I thought I told you that. That is the one part of the Jedi code that I find to be highly stupid and short-sighted. It has led to a sort of corruption of the Jedi order, and I will no longer tolerate living without the attachment of friends and family."

"How dare you make such outrageous accusations before this council!" Ki-Adi-Mundi shouted in outrage.

"I dare because I am no longer a Jedi and am no longer under the rule of this council. I also dare because I have found this rule against attachment to be incredibly short-sighted and dumb," Anakin retorted angrily.

Attempting to reestablish the calm of the council chamber, Yoda again spoke up, "You do, do you? Been ignorant in what manner have we, young Skywalker?"

Anakin, strode from where he was standing by the door, back to the center of the council chamber. "You restrict the Jedi from feeling any sort of emotion so that they do not allow fear and anger and thus the dark side into their lives. To accomplish this, you remove them from their families at such a young age they can barely remember their families, sometimes they remember not at all. You encourage them to remove themselves as much from the world as possible, until they are drones, barely able to feel anything once they become Padawans.

"Then, they go out into the galaxy with a master who has long practice in avoiding emotional attachments and perfect this skill. Meanwhile, although this makes them seem like great, objective mediators in a crisis, it removes them so far from any being who is not a Jedi so as to seem immensely proud and arrogant.

"If Palpatine had succeeded in his overthrow of the republic, how hard do you think it would have been to turn the galaxy against the Jedi? Not much at all. Jedi are a world apart, and no one relates to them or understands them because they do not allow themselves to get close to very many people. Even if they regretted it later, the inhabitants of this galaxy would have been easy to turn against the Jedi. We would have been destroyed."

Again, stunned silence reigned throughout the council chamber. "Removal from attachment is meant to keep Jedi from turning to the dark side," Master Windu said forcefully. "Attachment lets in emotions like fear, that lets in the dark side. We cannot allow this to happen to the whole of the Jedi order."

Anakin shook his head angrily. "No, that doesn't work as an excuse. Do you know it was only love of, and fear for, my family and friends that enabled me to overcome Palpatine and the dark side. Some types of anger allow people to do their job better. A senator uses anger sometimes to fuel his actions, and most of them are not inherently evil. Fear is a warning system for people, it allows them to function better. Emotional attachment to other people is only bad if you don't know how to manage it. Emotions and feelings for others are what makes us sentient beings in the first place."

After many minutes of intense silence, Anakin spoke one last time to the council. "I am glad that I was able to spend the first nine years of my life with a mother who taught me how to love. Now, I have Padmé and soon, we will have our twins, to enrich our lives and make them better. Family and friends are important to the growth of a person. Cutting yourselves off from emotion is doing the opposite of making it harder for the dark side to seep through. It is actually making it easier for the dark side to turn people from the light. I know that this is the one thing that is inherently wrong about the Jedi order, and I cannot and will not allow myself to pretend that I can agree with it anymore. Good day to you all." Anakin bowed curtly to the council and quickly left the council chamber and the Jedi temple, anxious to get home to Padmé and start his new life with his wonderful wife and their impending bundles of joy.


	7. ObiWan Stands Up

**_Author's Note:_** Sorry for the long wait, I have been seriously lacking in inspiration lately. To clear up a few things for those of you who migh become confused: In the Jedi Apprentice series about Obi-Wan as a young Padawan, it is revealed that a student who is not chosen as a Padawan by the age of thirteen will be released from the Jedi order and sent to become a farmer, as Obi-Wan was going to be sent to Agricorps to become. Also, there is another reference to Obi-Wan's leaving the order for a short while, which also happened in this series. He joined a youth rebellion on a planet whose name I don't remember and became very close to a young woman who later died in the uprising. Qui-Gon returned for Obi-Wan and rescued him and he rejoined the Jedi, but it is an experience that I don't think he has ever forgotten and that I believe left a lasting impression on him. I mean, Obi-Wan was never quite as cold and robotic as the other Jedi masters in both trilogies. He was more understanding and accepting as well, of both Anakin and later Luke. So, there's that. It will also become obvious that I am not finished my rant about the coldness of the Jedi order, so bear with me. I will be returning to the Skywalker family and the galaxy-wide fallout from Palpatine's death before the Jedi council will resolve this natter. I mean, they strike me as the type to almost as wordy and long with their debates as Congress, especially the Senate. Think filibusters that could last a very, very, very long time- perhaps even until after the birth of Luk and Leia. I think I've bored you enough- on with the story. **_Disclaimer:_** **_If you think I own Star Wars, you really have not been paying attention to the author's notes or to the fact that this is a FANFICTION website. In other words, anything that is remotely recognizable is not mine and I see no royalties from it; which, in a way, is kind of depressing._**

_**Silence**_ reigned in the council chamber for several long minutes after Anakin Skywalker had left it. Many of the masters were unwilling to believe that such a dedicated and renowned Jedi had broken the Jedi code and then made such accusations of corruption in front of the council.

Typically, it was Yoda who broke through the silence. "Know of this did you, Master Kenobi?"

All attention turned to the one man all of them would have thought would be the most outraged at the behavior of his former apprentice. They all remembered how odd they had thought it that Obi-Wan had nothing to say in the face of Skywalker's betrayal.

Obi-Wan, who had been sitting calmly in the otherwise tense and angry silence waiting for this question to come up, straightened up in his chair before beginning. "I found out the details only just before this meeting. Anakin and Padmé did not tell me either, I found out about it only this afternoon when I was trying to find Anakin to talk to him before meeting this council."

"Then why did you not warn us about what young Skywalker was going to say?" asked Mace Windu, his usually calm, deep voice showing signs of tension and aggravation.

"It was for him to tell, not me," replied Obi-Wan. "I felt I had no right to divulge Anakin's secrets to you."

"Even if it might have helped us better prepare for his accusations?" Ki-Adi-Mundi queried one of the most bothered of the council about Anakin's heated and passionate tirade against the sacred Jedi code.

"No," Obi-Wan said succinctly.

No one could quite understand Obi-Wan's stance and composure, so it took awhile for someone to comprehend enough to continue with their questions.

"Any hint had you of young Skywalker's affections?" Yoda asked, the only one besides Obi-Wan who retained his projected calm demeanor in the last few minutes.

Obi-Wan gave a short nod. "Anakin had a childhood crush on the senator ever since their first meeting. I noticed a definite renewing and strengthening of their closeness upon their reuniting two years ago. However, I did not fully grasp the extent of their attachment until this afternoon; I had my suspicions and did warn Anakin about his responsibilities as a Jedi. It wasn't until I found out about him and Padmé this afternoon that I was glad to find that he ignored my admonishments and married her."

Many in the council chamber gasped at Obi-Wan's outrageous pronouncement. "What do you mean that you are grateful that he broke the most sacred of the covenants of the Jedi code?" requested Ki-Adi-Mundi in righteous outrage.

"Because, master, as Anakin said, his wife and the impending birth of their children is the only thing that kept him from turning to the dark side. Without that affection, who knows what Palpatine would have wrought upon the galaxy? By following his gut instincts and refusing to give up his feelings, he might have saved us all from a terrible fate and many of us might no longer be here today," Obi-Wan replied, some of his own anger at the narrow-mindedness of the council showing through.

Master Windu looked at Obi-Wan pointedly. "Then do you agree with the accusations that Anakin leveled at this council this afternoon?"

"Yes, without a doubt," Obi-Wan stated quite firmly.

All of the masters were stunned into silence. "Why in the universe should you agree with those most outrageous pronouncements?"

Obi-Wan stood up and strode to the center of the chamber and began to speak as he turned a slow circle about the chamber. "Have none of you ever questioned the part of the Jedi code that warns about attachments? It seems a little hypocritical. You expect a high level of camaraderie between all Jedi, especially between master and apprentice, but yet you only want the feelings of attachment to be a basic friendship. We don't connect to the inhabitants of the galaxy because we refuse to allow emotion into our lives. Deep down, it never really felt quite right to me to be so separate from the galaxy.

"I know that many of you remember the short time I myself left the Jedi order. I followed my heart and even though some of what happened ended badly, I don't regret that choice at all. We don't give the children in our care much of a choice about their lives. If they have potential, we take them from the warm bosoms of their families and put them into a cold environment. They go through their training, knowing they will become Jedi so long as they are chosen as a Padawan and if they aren't, they end up as farmers in other such occupations. In some ways, those children are lucky, because they still have a choice in their lives to allow themselves to become something more.

"Nothing about our detachment feels right to me anymore. We all feel, even though we deny it. I have felt many of you become angry, although you will all deny it. Yet, these feelings don't make you turn to the dark side. It is by trying to deny our emotions and to deny ourselves the right to form attachments that we are opening a small window to allow in the dark side. Anakin realized this last night. He threw off his denial, accepted his feelings and vanquished an evil Sith lord and stepped away from the dark side. He made a good choice in my opinion, one that I too may make if none of you sees that the Jedi code requires some changes."

The council was even more shocked by this speech than the one that Anakin had made. Anakin Skywalker was known to be impulsive and something of a hothead, and while his choice was surprising, it was not altogether hard to accept after serious thought. However, here was Obi-

Wan Kenobi agreeing with his former Padawan and saying that he too was willing to make the same choice. Obi-Wan had long outgrown the rashness of his youth and obtained an astounding amount of maturity in the years since his own master's death. His opinion carried weight, and many in the council began to understand the position of both Kenobi and Skywalker.

Yoda nodded his head and said, "Discuss this, will we. Since know we your choice, Master Kenobi, suggest I do that your duties you break from until made the decision have we."

Obi-Wan bowed and replied, "Of course, Master Yoda." Standing up straight again, he made a final turn about the council chamber. "I leave you to ponder this, and I hope that you will all make the right decision for the Jedi in the end."

With that final statement, Obi-Wan turned began to follow the path that his former apprentice had taken when Master Windu spoke up to ask one final question.

"Did Anakin say that he and his wife were expecting twin children?" he asked, for that was among one of the things that had stood out to him that seemed spectacular.

Obi-Wan turned his head to Mace and said, "Yes. A little boy and a little girl, both strong in the Force. He and Padmé are understandably apprehensive and excited. By your leave." With those words, Obi-Wan too left the council chamber, much quieter than Anakin had been, but with no less of an impact upon the speech capacity of the council members.


	8. Reactions and Possible Repurcussions

_**Author's note at the end of the chapter. Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, own anything that is even remotely recognizable from Star Wars. This is me and my imagination cooking up a new storyline for these most beloved characters in my boredom.**_

_**In the meantime,**_ the galaxy was finding out about the events of the previous night and it was having a great impact upon the galaxy.

The war had ground to a standstill. The deaths of both Grievous and Palpatine had left the Separatist army without a head and it was floundering madly trying to escape with the clone armies in hot pursuit. It was obvious that now was more of a mop-up and that the war was effectively over for the good.

However, with this news came the announcement that Chancellor Palpatine had orchestrated the whole war to obtain control of the galaxy and that he had been discovered and slain by none other than their hero, Anakin Skywalker.

As expected this news was greeted with mixed reactions from the public. Some rejoiced in that fact that the war was over and anything that had been done to necessitate its ending was completely acceptable. This included many mothers, wives, husbands, children, lovers, and other family and friends who had feared to find that their loved ones were on the list of the dead that graced the Holonet after every battle and minor skirmish. This meant that they would be coming home in one peace.

Those that had been leery of Palpatine's rise to power and were uneasy about the whole thing were perhaps as relieved as the former group. They no longer had to fear that the Republic might be brought down from the inside by the Chancellor's insane power grabbing. This included many individuals in the Senate, who had been much against Palpatine. There had been more of them than was obvious because many of them were afraid of what a vote of nay would have cost them.

The others who had supported Palpatine fell between two reactions: ashamed and outraged. The majority of people who had been favorable toward Palpatine felt ashamed that they had not been part of the former group and had not maintained a healthy amount of skepticism in the face of this crisis. They celebrated more than the other groups, not out of more relief, but to cover up the fact that they had ever supported such an evil mastermind. The few who fell into the latter group were disbelieving in the news that Palpatine could have been a Sith lord or were people who had been aware all along and had agreed with him. After all, it wasn't as if the Separatists were the only ones to share Palpatine's views. Those who had been part of the plan left whatever planet they happened to be on and left to try to reorganize the Separatist armies and place someone new at the head.

No matter what the reaction to the news, the end of the war heralded galaxy wide celebrations. It also increased interest in the hero with no fear, Anakin Skywalker. They searched for everything they could find on the young man and eagerly awaited any news from him, whether it be his opinion on or defense of his actions, or even just a holo that the now even more obsessed fan girls (and guys) could drool over. Who wouldn't be fascinated with the man who had pretty much single-handedly ended a grueling and heart-breaking war?

__

_**While**_ this was going on, Anakin entered the apartment and immediately went searching for Padmé. He found her lying down asleep on the bed. Knowing she needed her rest, he climbed in with her and pulled her into his arms contentedly. He soon fell asleep as well.

Little did they know that all of the growing interest in Anakin Skywalker was going to create newer complications for their lives and those of their future children.

**_Author's Note:_** HEHEHE! Yes, I know I said this story was going to have a happy ending. But, believe me, stories get really boring without any conflict. When you think about it, being hounded by the Star Wars version of the paparazzi is probably pretty mild for an obstacle in this universe. However, this offers an opportunity for maybe a kidnapping plot involving Luke and Leia. It also offers the option of something similar to the New Republic/ Imperial Remnant war to happen. I promise fluff and a happy ending, but I never promised a complete lack of conflict and I certainly did NOT promise boring. If you don't like the idea, tell me and I may not put it in. However, I do warn you that a story gets REALLY boring without an interesting plot to frame the lives of its characters.

Aw, who am I kidding. I'm writing this story how I want to write it. Besides, who is the author here? That doesn't mean I don't welcome suggestions for plot ideas or anything like that, I'm just saying that I control the story and you don't. I encourage you to write a fanfic and take things into your own hands if you don't like it. That is what this website is for after all.


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